June 5, 2019 New Gardens, Sir John Richardson, Allan Octavian Hume, World Environment Day, Saalu Marada Thimmakka, Alice Mackenzie Swaim, The Gardener’s Bed-Book, Richardson Wright, Pruning Spring-Flowering Shrubs, and Psalm 27

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The Friday Newsletter |  Daily Gardener Community

Monologue

Is your garden new to you this year?

Recently, at a garden center, I ran into a woman who had just moved. She was tentatively buying just a few plants - curious to see what would work in her new space.

One of the things we ended up talking about was the micro-climate she had enjoyed living in an inner-ring suburb of the twin cities - one with milder temperatures thanks to the heat island from the buildings, but also helped greatly by the older, dense tree canopy.

Even little moves can be big moves when it comes to a new garden space. Just as with the interior spaces, figuring out what you want to do with your exterior space - your garden - takes time.

Remember - it's a garden.

There's no rush.

Botanical History On This Day

1865 Sir John Richardson, Scottish explorer, botanist, and naval physician, died on this day; his life encompassed Arctic survival, scientific rigor, collaboration with Florence Nightingale, and a legacy honored in the names of plants, animals, and a single stolen forget-me-not.

1829 Allan Octavian Hume, British civil servant and lifelong naturalist, was born on this day; though famed as the “Pope of Indian Ornithology,” a devastating loss turned him toward botany, culminating in his lasting gift—the South London Botanical Institute.

World Environment Day Saalumarada Thimmakka, known as India’s Mother of Trees, is honored for planting thousands of banyans with her husband, transforming grief into a legacy and a highway into a living canopy.

Unearthed Words

1911 Alice Mackenzie Swaim, poet of quiet courage, was born. Her verses remind us that resilience often blooms where least expected.

Grow That Garden Library™

Read The Daily Gardener review of
The Gardener’s Bed-Book by Richardson Wright

Buy the book on Amazon:
The Gardener’s Bed-Book by Richardson Wright

Today's Garden Chore

Prune spring-flowering shrubs.
Once forsythia and lilacs finish blooming, remove up to one-third of the oldest branches at the base, then shape lightly to encourage next year’s display.

Today's Botanic Spark

The story of a Forget-Me-Not at Grasmere offers a tender farewell. Days before his death, Sir John Richardson carried home a small plant from a friend’s garden — a final, living keepsake rooted in memory and faith.

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And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.